Development and Social Change: A Global Perspective

Contents Include: * A Timeline of Developmentalism and Globalism Development and the Global Marketplace * What is the world coming to? * The Global Marketplace * Commodity Chains and Development * Global Networks * Social Dimensions of the Global Marketplace\ * CASE STUDY: The Hamburger Connection * Dimensions of Social Change in the Global Marketplace * Development as a Global Process PART I: THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (Late 1940s to Early 1970s) 1 - Instituting the Development Project * Colonialism * Decolonization CASE STUDY: National Liberation, Development and Counter-Insurgency CASE STUDY: Latin American Development: The Colombian Coffee Industry * Postwar Decolonization and the Rise of the Third World * Ingredients of the Development Project CASE STUDY: Internalization of the Development Project, or Internal Colonialism? * The Development Project Framed CASE STUDY: The Indian Version of Development 2 - THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN GLOBAL CONTEXT * International Framework of the Development Project CASE STUDY: Banking on the Development Project * Remaking the International Division of Labor CASE STUDY: South Korea in the Changing International Division of Labor * The Food Regime and the Changing Division of World Labor * Remaking Third World Agriculture CASE STUDY: How Food Commodity Complexes Reveal Social Structuring CASE STUDY: The Green Revolution and the Development Mentality PART II: THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT UNRAVELS 3 - The Global Economy Reborn * Divergent Developments * The Newly Industrializing Country (NIC) Phase In Context CASE STUDY: The World Factory in China * The Global Production System CASE STUDY: The World Car: From Ford and Mitsubishi CASE STUDY: Global Subcontracting in Saipan * Global Agribusiness CASE STUDY: Agribusiness Brings You the World Steer CASE STUDY: Thailand Becomes a New Agricultural Country (NAC) * Global Sourcing and Regionalism CASE STUDY: Regional Strategy of a Southern Transnational Corporation 4 - International Finance and the Rise of Global Managerialism * Financial Globalization * The New International Economic Order (NIEO) Initiative and the Politics of Development * The Debt Regime CASE STUDY: The Social Costs of Mexican Debt Rescheduling * Global Managerialism CASE STUDY: Turning the Dominican Republic Inside Out * Restructuring States and Societies CASE STUDY: Restructuring the Mexican State/Society CASE STUDY: Tanzanian Society Absorbs Structural Adjustment PART III: THE GLOBALIZATION PROJECT (1980S - ) 5 - Instituting the Globalization Project * Beyond National Development CASE STUDY: The Islamic Counter-movement * The Globalization Project CASE STUDY: Chile -- The Model of Economic Liberalization CASE STUDY: Restructuring in Eastern Europe CASE STUDY: Restructuring in Singapore: A Successful Mini-Dragon * Global Governance CASE STU

This book covers global development from colonialism, to 'de-colonization' to globalization in a truly holistic sense. With a background in economics and a special interest in food systems, McMichael is truly informed in his analysis of the global power structure and how it has developed through time. Not ignored are studies of inequalities of race/ethnicity, gender, and class on a global scale. The book is slow reading, due to density of the subject matter and large amounts of facts and terms. However, this only serves to intensify and broaden the learning experience as you move through the book. It moves chronologically through time, offering case studies, further reading at the end of each chapter, and questions to promote critical thinking. This is one of the most fantastic books I have ever read, and he is one of the most informed, passionate, honest, and blunt professors I have had. The book itself is a textbook, and should be read as such. Some accuse him of political leanings, and though surely he may have them in his personal life, his abilities to display just the facts is noteworthy. Every future CEO, Banker, Politician, Lawyer, and member of the Global South would benefit from reading this book.

Usually professors who assign their own book for a class tend to be egotists. McMichael bucked that trend, however, by assigning his book which explained everything I ever needed or wanted to know about how the world works. The structure of the book makes it easy for anyone to understand and explains the state of the world today using historical context, which I found fascinating. However cheesy this may be, I honestly think the world would be a better place if more people read this book.

I completely agree with Mr. Jones' review. I can name countless books that offer strong arguments and good research. I can also recommend many books that are written with such clear and graceful style that they are a pleasure to read. McMichael is one of the few authors who can manage to combine these two aspects. I thank him for making it both easy and interesting for me to learn about this field of study.

McMichael avoids the classic pitfall of falsely dichotomizing his development themes into modernization and/or underdevelopment theory. Nor does he leave us in the postmodern paralysis of absolute relativity. His straightforward and readable style reveals the entire postwar development project and its consequences, as well as the rise of the globalization project now under way. McMichael underscores his points with case studies and acutely observes the cultural phenomena and localized resistance of our times. Development and Social Change brings the sociology of development to the edge of modernity and the end of our century, in a vocabulary and style open to laypersons and sociologists alike.